A Jar of Marbles: The Impact of Our Environment

A man filled a jar with marbles, and once the jar was filled, he turned around in the other direction. When he looked back and saw that the jar was filled with marbles, he got angry and shouted, “Why is this jar filled with marbles? I don’t understand it!”

Of course, the people watching this whole event just laughed at this foolish man for being so absurd. 

We might share in the people’s laughter at the man who filled the jar with marbles and then didn’t understand how the jar could be filled with marbles, but we would be wise to instead understand the lesson from his actions: Do not be surprised by the consequences of your own actions. After all, how many times have we taught others how to treat us, and then gotten angry with them for doing so? 

The environment in which you are surrounded has a profound impact on you, also. For instance, if young people fill their rooms with violent pictures and listen to music with violent themes, then it only follows that violence will be in or around their minds constantly. This observation has nothing to do with judgment and everything to do with common sense. Research studies confirm this common sense, but do we really need scientific studies to tell us that what we surround ourselves with us impacts us? 

Be mindful of how you set up your environment, including what you look at, what you listen to, and what is potentially inundating your subconscious. The more mindful you are of the ways in which your surroundings, the things you listen to, and even your conversations impact you, the less likely you are to be like the foolish man who filled a jar full of marbles and then wondered how the marbles got there.